Roll bending machines for curving plate members



Jan. 9, 1962 D. MILLER 3,016,082

ROLL BENDING MACHINES FOR CURVING PLATE MEMBERS Filed May 7, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In ventor DO/VALD M/LLER By Mm g m Attorneys Jan. 9, 1962 D. MILLER 3,01 82 ROLL BENDING MACHINES FOR CURVING PLATE MEMBERS Filed May 7, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 39 42 575840 55 694746 /0 5 9 5 5/ 6Q 6L 62 52 In ventor DON/11D M/ll-EQ (72mm gi /0:177:11

A ttorneyi 3,016,082 Patented Jan. 9, 1962 fiice This invention relates to a roll bending machine having three or four rollers arranged with their axes of to tation substantially parallel with each other but spaced apart to provide a nip between which a plate may be passed. The distance between the rollers is variable so that the amount to which a plate is rolled around the rollers is also variable. Means are provided for applying pressure to the rollers to urge them towards each other and such roller or rollers is/ are known herein as pressure roller/s, while the non-movable (relative to the other rollers) are referred to as guide rollers. A plate of steel may then be passed between the nip formed by one of the guide rollers and the pressure roller and as pressure is applied to the pressure roller the plate will. be bent into a curve and if equal pressure is applied along the length of the pressure roller, the plate will be rolled into a cylinder.

In many instances it is desirable to roll plates into cones or sections of cones and for this purpose it is necessary to apply more pressure at one end of a pressure roller than at the other end, thus subjecting part of the plate to a greater pressure to roll it into a smaller diameter than the other end, which is subjected to a less pressure and thus rolled into a larger diameter.

It will be appreciated that as the plate is being rolled into a cone there has to be a certain amount of slip between the rollers and plate as the smaller diameter end, being subjected to a greater pressure, is not obliged to have so great a length of plate travel through the rollers as the larger diameter end.

Proposals hitherto for the rolling of cone sections have included the provision of a pressure roller provided at each end with means for varying the appliedpressure at each end. In this machine it has been possible to set the pressure roller at an incline relative to the guide rollers and to apply greater pressure at one end of the pressure roller than at the other end. This arrangement has necessitated the operator of the machine using his skill and judgement to determine how much extra pres sure is required at the one end to roll a cone of predetermined section.

It has also been proposed to provide aroll bending machine in which the guide rollers are mounted in means which enable the rollers to be-moved relative to each other and relative to the pressure roller so that. as'a plate is passed through the rollers, the guide rollers may be slewed to provide additional pressure between them and the pressure roller at a predetermined end. A machine of this type suffers from the disadvantage that the mounting means for the guide rollers are extremelycomplicated and'have to be made to a high order of accuracy.

It will be appreciated that as the plate passes through the rollers the smaller section end has to be retarded and means have been proposed for forming a brake for that being rolled and mounting means for the pressure roller so that the force applied to the abutment by an edge of a plate being rolled causes the roller to apply more pressure to the plate in the region of said edge than in the region of the other edge. v

It will be appreciated that, if in order to apply more pressure to a plate in the region of one edge it is neces sary for the pressure roller to become inclined relative to the guide rollers. According to the present invention the pressurerol'ler is mounted in means permitting that state of affairs and provides .for force which is applied to an abutment by the edge of a plate being rolled which force results from the abutment braking the free passage of the plate between'the rollers, to incline the pressure roller to the desired amount.

More specifically the pressure roller is mounted for rotation on a beam which is pivotally mounted relative to the guide rollers. The pivotal means may be a simple pivot pin or a more complex system of pivotal links. Preferably the abutment is mounted on'the roller. For example the abutment may be in the form of a sleeve having a flange extending between the guiderollers so that force applied to the abutment moves the pressure roller about its pivotal mounting. Alternatively the abutment may be connected to the pressure roller by mechanical links or by hydraulic or electrical means.

It will be appreciated that in three roller bending machines, if the central roller is mounted pivotally relative to the two guide rollers, then as the plate is being rolled into conical section, it is possible for the roller to adopt a desired inclination relative to the guide rollers and thus to apply greater pressure at one end than at the other. If the plate is passed through the rollers centrally of v the pivotal means then the pressure roller will automati- In another embodiment theroller is mounted in bearings for rotation on a beam which is pivotally connected by links to a second beam which is engaged by means for applying force thereto for a similar purpose. 1

While reference herein has implied a three roller bend.- ing machine having two guide rollers and a centrally disposed pressurevroller it will be appreciated that the foregoing reference, and further referenceapplied equally toafour roller bendingmachine.

The present invention provides for the abutment means on the pressureroller to be adjustable along the length of the roller so that the centre line of the plate being rolled may be beneath the mid-point of the pressure roller and with the smaller diameter edge of the plate in contact with the abutment means.- The abutment means comprise a sleeve mounted on the roller and having a flange extending into the gap between the 'twoguide rollers. The lateral force (i.e. the force along the length of the roller) is transmitted from the plate to the abutment means and then to the beam on which the roller is mounted.

The beam then is out of balance and inclines itself rela-' tive to the guide rollers to apply greater pressure to the plate at the edge which is to be rolled intoa smaller diameter.

By this arrangement the greater the force which is applied to the abutment means, the greater the force that is applied to the beam and therefore the greater the force that is applied to the roller at that end to rollthe plate into smaller diameter.

The invention also provides means which enable removal of the sleeve'from the pressure roller by removal of the bearing on the beam supporting the pressure roller at the smaller diameter end.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a suitably shaped plate to be formed into hollow conical shape according to the invention,

FIGURE 2 shows a hollow conical member formed of the plate,

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic side view of part of a roll bending machine according to the invention,

FIGURE 4 is a detailed perspective view of an abutment fitting for said machine,

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic side view of part of a modified roll bending machine according to the invention,

FIGURE 6 is a detail side part-sectional view of one end part of the modified machine,

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the modified machine,

FIGURE 8 is a side view of an alternative machine according to the present invention,

FIGURE 9 is a detailed view thereof,

FIGURE 10 is a cross-sectional view on the line l10 of FIGURE 9,

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view of the removable bearing according to the present invention,

FIGURE 12 is an end view of FIGURE ll,

FIGURE 13 is an alternative construction of the detailed view of the machine portion shown in FIGURE 9'.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 the plate 1 for forming into a hollow conical member 2, as in FIGURE 2, is of suitable shape for the purpose, having radial ends 1a, 1b, a lesser diameter edge 10 and a concentric greater diameter edge 1d, thereby having alesser diameter part 12 and a greater diameter part L. In the hollow conical member 2 the radial edges 1a, 1b meet to form the joint 2awhich is welded. The plate 1 has a radial tab 1g, 112 at each end of the lesser diameter edge 10.

The roll bending machine for forming the plate 1 into the hollow conical member 2 is of the type referred to in which a pair of side by side guide rolls from a nip with an upper pressure roller 3, the guide rollers 4 being driven either by manually or mechanically operated means, and adjustment of the pressure roller 3 being eifected by either separate manually operable adjustment means or separate mechanically operable means.

One end 3a of the pressure roller 3 is supported in a bearing bracket and the latter is conveniently displaceably or removably mounted in any known manner on a fixed frame support 25.

On said end 3aof the roller 3 there is an abutment fitting, shown in greater detail in FIGURE 4, comprising a collar 6 from which there depends widthwise a short bar abutment 7 welded to the collar 6. This abutment bar 7 has an upper arcuate portion 7a projecting upwardly into an annular groove 3b in the adjustable roller 3, and the abutment bar 7 bears at its outer end 7b against the fixed frame support 25. Said abutment bar 7 extends down between the guide. rollers 4- which limit its lateral movement. Said bearing portion 7a may be removably mounted for replacement.

In use of this roll bending machine, the plate 1 is fed into the nip with theradial edge 1b thereof foremost and with the tab 1h of the lesser diameter edge behind the abutment 7a. The rollers-are rotated to carry the plate through the nip and in doing so the lesser diameter edge 10 bears progressively against the bearing portion 7a which in turn thrusts against the bearing support 5 through the medium of the abutment bar 7. As a result of this, and of the operator controlling the passage of the plate with the aid of pressure of the tabs 1g, 1h against the abutment bearing portion 7a, the lesser diameter edge part 1e is carried through at a comparatively low rate and the greater diameter part 1] passes through at a higher rate. The hollow conical member is removable from the machine after displacing or removing the bearing bracket 5 in known manner and the groove 3b in the pressure roller 3 with the bearing portion 7a projecting into it prevents fouling of the pressure roller by the edge of the stock and creeping of the edge between the abutment and the roller. T he pressure roller 3 is suitably adjusted to required varying extents at each end in conventional manner. The plate is passed to and fro in this manner with the lesser diameter edge 10 and the tabs 1g, 1h bearing against the bearing portion 7a in appropriate direction, and the pressure roller periodically adjusted at each end until the plate has been rolled into the required complete hollow conical member, the end thrust at all times being taken by the fixed frame support 25.

In a modified roll bending machine shown in FIGURES 5 to 7, the pressure roller 3 has a reduced diameter end part 31) in a bearing bracket 8. On the pressure roller 3 there is an abutment fitting similar to that above described but without projection into a groove in the pressure roller, and with extension means 9 having holes 10 for peg means 11 which also extend through holes 12 in part 13 of the bracket 8. The abutment fitting, in this example, therefore is adjustable for plates of dilferent radial width by engaging the peg means 11 in different holes, and end thrust is taken on the peg means 11.

The pressure roller 3 is mounted at its other end in a bearing bracket 14 and the two bearing brackets 8 and 14 are carried by a beam 15.

The beam 15 may be an H section beam on its side and disposed substantially below the lower edges of the two guide rollers 4. The beam is supported at its centre, in this example, by having a pivotal connection 16 to an adjusting screw 17 which extends through an adjusting nut 18 and screws into a table of bench top 19. Conveniently the guide rollers 4 are supported on this top 19 by supports 20, 21.

In use of this modified roll bending machine, the plate is passed as before, through the nip with the end thrust being taken by the peg means 11.

However, instead of adjusting the pressure roller 3 at each end as before, the required adjustment is effected by single adjustment of the central adjustment nut 18; furthermore the end thrust of the plate member on the abutment 7a imparts a downward thrust on the pressure roller 3 to tilt it as allowed by the beam 15 tilting about the pivot 16 relatively to the guide rollers 4; by this means the forces applied to'the plate member are automatically balanced.

In possible modified arrangements according to the invention, the abutment 7a may be non-adjustably mounted (for example constructed as in FIGURES 3 and 4) and the adjustment device may be displaceable to act on the beam at different locations ofiset from the centre appropriately according to the size of the plate member. In this arrangement the beam may be connected at each end to balancing fluid pressure actuators to balance the beam and pressure roller. The adjustment device may be automatically operable instead of manually as shown, and instead of being screw means it may be a mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic or electric actuator.

In the machine illustrated in FIGURES 8 to 12, a frame 40 has upright pillars 30 for carrying the two guide rollers 4, The pressure roller 3 is rotatably mounted in bearings carried on a beam '44 which is pivotally connected bylinks 41 and 45 to a second beam 39.

The beam 39 is connected by pins 38 to four hydraulic cylinders 57 which arethernselves pivotally mounted by a pin 3-7 to webs 36 secured to the pillar 30.

The link 41 is pivoted to the beam 44 by a pin 58 and to the beam '39 by a pin 42. The link 45 is pivoted to the 'beam 44 by a pin 47 and to the beam 39 by a pin 46. The link 45 is of; triangular shape and has an additional hole 48 through which a locking pin may extend to lock the beams 44 and 39 to each other and thereby to prevent relative movement.

The guide rollers 4 are driven by a motor 49 driving through a flexible coupling 50 and double helical gears 51. The pressure roller 3 is mounted at one end in a bearing 55 housed in a member 69 located to the beam 44 by a pivotal .coupling 56; A part 53 of the roller 3 extends through the bearing 55 and terminates in a balll ike. end 54. The ball-likeend 54 is located within a bifurcated member having an adjustable screw-down head 52 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The other end of the roller 3 has a reduced portion 63 (FIGURE 11) which is rotatable in abearing member 64 having .an eccentric outer surface which is housed in a bore formed in a member 31 pivoted to the beam 44 by a pin 43.

The bearing member 64 has a horizontal groove 66 for receiving a half-round pin 32 which extends through the member 31 and is rotatable by a handle 33. The end of the roller 63 has a plate 65 bolted thereto by bolts 70. A support pin 67 is housed in the member 31 and it will be observed by reference to FIGURE 11 that the accentric portion of the bearing 64 is formed with a radius.

The sleeve 6 has a flange 60 depending therefrom and has an inclined slot 61 formed therein in which is located a pin 62. The flange 60 is forked and receive within the forks the upper edge of the beam 44 which is provided with saw-teeth like projections 59. The sleeve 6 is adjustable along the length of the beam by disengaging the pin 62 by sliding it up the inclined slot 61, moving the sleeve to the desired position and allowing the pin 62 to slide down the slot 61 and engage in one of the teeth 59.

In an alternative construction which is shown in FIG. 13, the links '41 and 45 are not provided and the pivotal connection between the beams 44 and 39 is provided by a central pivot pin 67.

In use, the plate to be rolled is arranged to pass with its centre line beneath the mid-point of the roller 3 and the sleeve 6 is therefore adjusted along the length of the beam to ensure that the edge of the plate abuts the flange 60 with the centre line of theplate beneath the mid-point of the roller 3. Downward pressure is applied to the roller 3 by the hydraulic cylinders 57 and the plate rolled between the rollers. As the plate abuts against the flange 60 a lateral force in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the roller 3 (towards the end with the reduced portion 63) is created, which results in a lowering of that end of the beam, due to the pivotal mounting of the beam by the links 41 and 45 relative to the beam 39.

In consequence that end of the plate is subjected to a greater pressure than'the other end and in consequence is rolled to a smaller diameter than the other end.

'It will be appreciated that reference to a beam 39 includes reference to the two beams 39 whichv are disposed either side of the central beam 44 and similarly, referen'ce to links 41 and 45 includes reference to the pairs of links 41 and 45 disposed either side of the central beam 44.

In order to remove the roller 3 or to make adjustments thereto, the bearing end 64 may be removed by rotation of the handle 33 until the pin 32 has the flat portion facing the bearing member 64. In this position the member 31 may be swung out of engagement with the roller about the pin 43, the plate 65 having first been removed. The member 31 is held away from the pillar 30 .by a stop 35. To take the weight of the roller 3 the screw-down 6 a greater pressure to be applied to the roller 3 than is the case in the construction illustrated in FIGURE 5, and thus greater thickness plates may be rolled to a smaller diameter. i

A plate is rolled to desired conical section by repeatedly passing the plate to and fro between the rollers and after each passage, applying greater pressure to the pressure roller. I

If it is desired to roll a cylindrical section the pivotal movement of the beams 39 and 44 may be locked by engagement of a pin in the hole 48 of the link 45.

It will be appreciated that only one control means for all four hydraulic cylinders is required as a uniform downward force is applied to the beam 39 and the beam 44 and the roller 3 adjusts itself by the pivotal link connection.

The present invention provides a roll bending machine which enables conical sections to be rolled simply and with extreme accuracy and which obviates many of the disadvantages inherent in other methods and machines for the formation of such conical sections.

What I claim is:

1 A cone-roll bending machine comprising a pair of guide rolls, upright standards for rotatably holding said guide rolls, a pressure roll, said pressure roll being in juxtaposed relationship to said guide rolls, means for mounting said pressure roll, said means being freely pivotable about an axis substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of said pressure roll, abutment means on one side of said pressure roll, said abutment means being adapted to lower said pressure roll with said freely pivotable mounting means on the side of said abutment means in agreement with the particular force applied to said abutment means by engagement of a plate to be rolled.

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said mounting means comprise a beam having bearings for mounting the pressure roller for rotation therein. I

3. A machine according to claim 2, wherein said beam has means for movement of the pressure roll to reduce the size of the nip between the pressure roll and the guide rolls.

4. A machine according to claim 3, wherein said means comprises a lead screw pivotally connected to said beam.

5. A cone-roll bending machine comprising a pair of guide rolls, upright standards for rotatably holding said guide rolls, a pressure roll, said pressure roll being in juxtaposed relationship to said guide rolls, means for mounting said pressure roll, said means being freely pivotable about an axis substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of said pressure roll and said means having a first beam, bearings at the ends of said beam, said bearings holding said pressure roller for rotation therein, and a second beam pivotally connected to said first beam, abutment means on one side of said pressure roll, said abutment means being adapted to lower said pressure roll with said freely pivotable mounting means on the side of said abutment means in agreement with the particular force applied to said abutment means by engagement of a plate to be rolled.

6. A machine according to claim 5, and further comprising links pivotally connecting said beams. V

7. A machine according to claim 5, wherein the two beams are pivotally connected by a single pivot pin.

8. A machine according to claim 5, wherein a prime mover is associated with said second beam for movement of the pressure roll to reduce the size of the nip between the pressure roll and the guide rolls.

' 9. A machine according to claim 8, wherein said prime mover is a hydraulic cylinder.

10. A machine according to claim 8, and further comprising means for locking the two beams relative to each other so that the pressure applied is substantially uniform pressure from edge to edge to a plate being rolled.

11. A machine according to claim 5, wherein the abutment means comprises a sleeve on the pressure roll and havingfla flange extending between the guide rolls.

12. A machine according to claim 11, wherein the abutment means sleeve is adjustable along the length of the pressure roll.

13. A machine according to claim 11, wherein said flange is forked, a first member having saw-teeth-like projections on its upper edge and extending between said forked flange, a second member mounted between the forks of the flange and engaging said saw-teeth-like projections to secure the sleeve against movement in at least one direction relative to the length of the pressure roll.

14. A machine according to claim 5, and further comprising means for removing one of the bearings in which 15 8. the. pressure roll is mounted for rotation to gain access to the pressure roll.

15. A machine according to claim 14, and further com prising means for supporting the first beam in cantilever manner when one of the bearings is removed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,759,514 Knost Aug. 21, 1956 2,774,593 Lewis Dec. 18, 1956 2,808,096 Erkes Oct. 1, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS I 534,391 Germany Sept. 25, 1931 720,741 Great Britain Dec. 29, 1954 

